After 18 months through which one disaster has adopted one other, Israel’s aviation map has been redrawn accordingly. Some locations have disappeared from the departures and arrivals board at Ben Gurion airport, whereas some have been added, however above all, uncertainty reigns supreme. Turkey, which has been closed to Israeli flights for nearly two years, is probably the most outstanding instance, however not the one one: Cape City and Dublin have additionally fallen off the map following diplomatic crises with Israel.
Carriers like Turkish Airways and Pegasus, which beforehand operated about 20 every day flights collectively to Israel, aren’t anticipated to return within the foreseeable future. Each have given up their slots in Israel, an asset of nice monetary worth, because it permits flights to function at handy and in-demand occasions.
Flights to Marrakesh and Casablanca, which had been beforehand operated by Israeli and Moroccan airways, have been halted, as are flights to Cairo, Sharm el-Sheikh and Amman. Hong Kong, which was an essential vacation spot for enterprise flights, additionally disappeared from the map following the absence of Cathay Pacific, which didn’t return to Israel all through the warfare and has introduced that it’s going to not return till additional discover. Toronto and Delhi could have no direct flights within the foreseeable future. Air Canada, if it returns, is predicted to take action solely in early September, and Air India on the finish of August.
Terminal 1 stays closed
The locations to which low-cost airways used to function flights have misplaced recognition for Israelis. Terminal 1 stays closed because of the low quantity of air site visitors at Ben Gurion Airport, which doesn’t justify working two terminals. The return of low price carriers is just not in sight. Even Wizz Air, which used to renew its flights to Israel comparatively shortly in contrast with rivals Ryanair and EasyJet, is just not anticipated to return to Israel till September.
Different locations haven’t utterly disappeared from the map, however they’ve develop into a lot much less accessible, and may now solely be reached through Israeli airways. London, for instance, is much less accessible because of the absence of British Airways, Virgin Atlantic, easyJet and Wizz Air. British Airways and easyJet have introduced that it’s going to not return earlier than the tip of October – successfully giving up on the summer season and holidays. Virgin Atlantic has gone as far as to announce utterly halting flights to Tel Aviv with no expectation of renewal.
Amsterdam is in an identical state of affairs. Dutch provider KLM introduced that it might not resume flights till additional discover, and easyJet has canceled its flights to Israel to October 25. easyJet’s absence additionally impacts different locations similar to Milan, Basel, Geneva and Berlin. In Germany, the state of affairs is comparable. The Lufthansa Group, which usually operates flights to Munich and Frankfurt, will not return earlier than the tip of July, which leaves routes to Germany within the palms of Israeli corporations alone.
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The worst misery is on routes to the US, that are at the moment solely accessible via El Al and Arkia. El Al is the one airline that operates flights to US locations apart from New York.
Locations which have strengthened
Amidst all this uncertainty, a number of new locations have additionally been added to the map. El Al has began working flights to Kefalonia in Western Greece, a vacation spot that’s slowly gaining recognition. Israir has been working flights to the Peloponnese in Greece, whereas Arkia was working constitution flights to Madagascar in addition to Zadar in Croatia, and Kalamata in Greece. In keeping with experiences, SAS is predicted to return to Israel this October and function direct flights to Copenhagen, for the primary time in years, however it might change its thoughts earlier than October.
Eshet Excursions VP Shirley Cohen Orkaby says, “The locations which have strengthened previously 12 months and a half are shut, low-cost, and with excessive private safety, similar to Prague, Burgas, the Balkan nations, Montenegro and Croatia. Malta, for instance, is a vacation spot that has not been energetic for the reason that Covid pandemic. Greece has at all times been a lovely vacation spot, but it surely is a bit more costly, so persons are additionally on the lookout for new locations. Batumi can also be a really sturdy vacation spot, particularly for this coming summer season. Cyprus’s repute rose primarily as a result of it was a significant hub through the closure interval, and this solely bolstered the truth that Israelis had been very connected to it.”
Ophir Excursions vice chairman Yoni Waksman says, “There are locations that had been briefly affected primarily attributable to aviation restrictions, such because the US, which for a interval might solely be flown to with El Al. Arkia solely lately added this route. Alternatively, there was a strengthening in locations such because the UAE and the Center East, because of the improve in flights by Emirati airways. Close by locations Cyprus and Greece have additionally maintained excessive recognition because of the accessibility of flights by all Israeli airways, alongside two Israeli-owned Cypriot airways.”
Printed by Globes, Israel enterprise information – en.globes.co.il – on July 3, 2025.
© Copyright of Globes Writer Itonut (1983) Ltd., 2025.
